7 Days: Sample Day 1

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” —Mark 10:43–45

Imagine yourself standing in front of a large lecture hall full of students or colleagues. Your goal is to convince everyone in that room that you are the best, most qualified person in the building. You need them to respect you, to listen to you, to do what you say.

What does that feel like?

Imagine yourself standing in front of those same people but with a different goal. Now your goal is to convince everyone in the room that they are each seen, heard, and known. You need to respect them, listen to them, and help them understand their worth as human beings.

What does that feel like?

The words of Jesus remind us that our significance—our greatness—is not found where we think it is. We don’t become great by making sure everyone knows we’re the strongest, the smartest, the funniest, the best. Rather, we become great through service to others, through sacrifice of the self so others can flourish. God himself came to earth to remind us of that.

Consider This

• How often do you feel you must prove yourself to others?
• How does the idea of God serving you make you feel?

Take Action

The next time you’re in a group setting, make a conscious effort to look for ways you can help someone else succeed.